Chicago Bears Pre-Draft Roster Review

Aug 24, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Chicago Bears helmets during the second half against the New York Giants at Metlife Stadium. The Bears won the game 20-17 Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Before I head to the store to go grocery shopping, I usually check the cupboard and see what I have and what I’m missing to decide what I need to pick up.  Now that we’re less than 48 hours away from the 2013 NFL draft and the best way to try to predict who the Chicago Bears might draft is to look at who they already have.  Let’s look at their roster and see if we can predict what needs they might try to address through the draft.

Dec 30, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback

Let’s not kid ourselves. This is really just Jay Cutler. While Josh McCown is a guy and Jay’s buddy, he was on the street last season and if the Bears cut him, he’d back back coaching high school.  I would actually be surprised if the Bears didn’t take a sniff at a project for Marc Trestman to mold if the Cutler thing doesn’t work out.

Running Back

The Bears appear to be very comfortable at RB with Matt Forte and Michael Bush as a 1-2 punch. Harvey Unga is probably on his ninth life and I suspect if he can’t convert to FB, his days with the Bears might be done. Armando Allen is a good Special Teams guy and offers a change of pace, but the Bears could stand for an upgrade. Look for an undrafted free agent to be added to the mix.

Wide Receiver

Dec. 30, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) is unable to catch a pass in the end zone in the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

A position that was considered a weakness just a year ago appears to be becoming a strength anchored by Brandon Marshall and second year man Alshon Jeffery.  Earl Bennett could surprise some people in the slot.  The other guys will compete for a roster spot or two as ST contributors, but the Bears still need the field stretching WR that a healthy Johnny Knox was supposed to be.  I expect they’ll try to find a mid-round bargain; Knox was a 5th round pick.

Tight End

The Bears are in the midst of overhauling their tight end position. Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth are gone and Martellus Bennett and Steve Maneri are in. A lot of people are hoping the Bears will grab Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert in the first round.  With a lot of other needs, this might be a luxury pick, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Phil Emery looked to provide another big-time weapon for Marc Trestman and the new offense.  Last season’s 4th round pick Evan Rodriguez is listed as a fullback, so this year will be crucial for him to find a role on this team.

Offensive Line

Offensive Tackles

I suspect the Bears  made a big move in signing Jermon Bushrod to be their starting left tackle because they had a pretty good sense that one of the top tackle prospects wouldn’t fall to them at #20.  J’Marcus Webb will compete with Gabe Carimi and Jonathan Scott for RT, so they could still go for an upgrade. If DJ Fluker is around, it would be hard to pass on him in Round 1.  James Brown and Carimi will compete as guards as well.

Guards

As noted above, tackles Carimi and Brown will look to grab a roster spot at guard if they can’t break through as tackles.  Add veterans Eben Britton and Matt Slauson to the mix and you’ve got some competition for the two guard spots.  But competition doesn’t mean quality. If Chance Warmack or Jonathan Cooper is on the board and #20, the Bears should RUN to the podium to hand in their draft card.  I would love to see an athletic guard in the mix in the second or fourth round depending on how the draft breaks. Kyle Long or Al Warford are interesting prospects.

Center

Let’s face it, this is about upgrading Roberto Garza, who is getting old and did a decent job stepping into center when Olin Kreutz left.  I really like Brian Schwenke out of Cal as another 2nd round prospect that could step in and be the center for a decade.